Stormy Days
by Pallet and Cerulean
Summary: Nozomi and Eli spend a rainy day together.


Nozoeli Oneshot

"Thank you for having me over," Eli said, shutting Nozomi's door behind her. Quickly, the quiet of the lonely apartment washed over her. It was a feeling Eli never got over, even after visiting her friends home so many times. Each time she came inside, it was like a wave of solitary silence flooded the place, empty and lonely. How Nozomi lived like that, Eli had no idea, but it wasn't her place to judge. It's not like Nozomi was happy to be living all on her own. It was either that or keep transferring schools, and she had gone through enough of that. She finally found a home at Otonokizaka and she couldn't just leave.

"Of course, I love your visits, Elichi," Nozomi replied with a polite smile, slipping off her shoes. Crossing the room, Nozomi tugged out the hair bands holding in her signature twin tails. Shaking her head, she let her hair fall in long waves against her back. Stepping into her modest kitchen, Nozomi reached out for her teapot, gently removing the top. "Do you want some tea?" She asked, taking a moment to look back into the living area, giving Eli a questioning glance.

"Sure, that sounds nice today," Eli replied, taking a look out the window. All day, it had been overcast and drizzly. Now was no different. Rain dripped down from the clouds, leaving droplets to cover the window pane. Reaching one hand up to touch the cold glass, Eli let a quiet sigh slip past her lips. These kinds of days could be rather depressing. They just had this dreary haze over them. It seemed like the cold, rain, and darkness would drag on forever. These kinds of days were the ones that made Eli just want to curl up and sleep the day away until the sun was shining again.

Taking in a breath, Eli turned away from the window, finding Nozomi standing attentively over the teapot. A smile flickered over the blonde's features as she thought back to the many nights she had spent just like this. At least once a week, she spent time outside of school or practice with Nozomi. And after three years, the number of nights they had spent together was quite a lot. Nozomi's apartment had become Eli's second home. She knew she was always welcome there, no matter what the circumstances.

The whistle of the tea kettle caught both girl's attention, startling Eli from her thoughts. She watched as Nozomi carefully removed the kettle from the stove, turning off the heat. As she worked to ready the tea, Eli found herself coming to sit down at the table, watching the other girl from a distance. There was a sort of gentleness about Nozomi, some kind of wistfulness. It was almost like she was always thinking, always wondering. But, the way she went about it was unlike any other girl Eli had ever met. Nozomi was truly one of a kind. She was unique.

After just a few moments, Nozomi brought over a tray of their tea, setting it in the center of the table. Pouring a cup for Eli, as well as one for herself, Nozomi set the teapot back in the middle of the tray. Gingerly picking up the warm cup, she blew on the surface of the liquid inside, hoping to cool it faster. Taking a sip, she let a small smile tug at her lips. Jasmine was one of her favorite teas, and she knew Eli liked it as well. There was just something about a hot cup of tea on a dreary day that was so warm and comforting. Other than the soft sound of rain hitting the roof, the apartment was quiet. The two sat together, thoughtfully looking down at their respective cups. Even without words, there was just something therapeutic about spending time with someone you cared about.

"Hey, Nozomi?" Eli asked softly, breaking through the comfortable silence that had settled over the two.

"Hm? What is it?" Nozomi asked in return, shifting her gaze up from the table to Eli's shinning, blue eyes. She took another small sip from her cup. The tea was still rather hot, but just tasted so good that she couldn't help herself from taking just one more sip. That seemed to be how it always went. Just one more little drink.

"I was just thinking. What if, back when we were first years, you didn't have the courage to introduce yourself to me? What would I be like?" Eli questioned, setting her cup down after taking a sip. The porcelain clicked against the saucer, the sound carrying through the room. "Even now, with you and the rest of the girls, I'm a cold and awkward mess. And, that's okay, I guess. But, what if you never came around?" Eli asked, her voice growing somber.

"You think too much, Elichi," Nozomi replied with a ghost of a smile, shaking her head. Setting her own cup down for a moment, Nozomi folded her hands together, placing her elbows of the table. Her chin came to rest on her hands while she studied Eli carefully. "You'd be fine. You don't need me to be you," Nozomi assured, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.

"But, who I am today is not who I was then," Eli said, sending a glance out the window. The rain seemed to be picking up. Hopefully it would clear out by the time she had to walk home. A stray thought about not having an umbrella crossed her mind before she refocused on the conversation at hand. "I was pushy and cold. I put up walls and shut everyone out," Eli started, her voice rising in volume and intensity. "I didn't have any friends. I was all alone. I was a mess. I-" Eli bit back her words, realizing how loud she had gotten and how tears had begun to burn, hot in the back of her eyes.

"I wasn't in a good place then," Eli said, quieting herself down. She had just moved back from Russia before her first year of high school, had given up ballet, and couldn't seem to find a way to fit in. "But, you understood me. You saw past all those flaws, and you still do."

Taking a moment to consider what Eli had said, Nozomi let a bittersweet smile make its way to her face. "You've always felt things so much stronger than everyone else. Your emotions are ten times more intense than their's. But, you bottle up your feelings and build up walls. That's why I've always been interested in you, Elichi." Nozomi noted, keeping her voice low and controlled.

Eli let the words resonate for a moment, seeming to hang heavily in the air. For some reason, they didn't do much to comfort her. Instead, that only served to make her tears fall, droplets landing on the knit fabric of her skirt. "I hate it," Eli whispered, hands clenching into fists at her sides. "It hurts to keep everything in. But, it's too scary to let people really know me."

A crack of lightning flashed outside the apartment, briefly lighting up the dim space. Mere moments after, it was followed by booming thunder. It took a moment for the dreary quiet to restore itself. "I'm horrible," Eli murmured through the tears, her voice thick with emotion. There was some sort of resignation in her voice that caught Nozomi a bit off guards. She took another sip of her tea, attempting to gather her thoughts. Having emptied the mug, she placed gently placed it on the table.

It hurt, watching Eli cry, while she sat across the table, unable to stop the insecurities and depression. So, Nozomi stood from her seat, walking around the worn table until she stood behind Eli. She wrapped her arms around Eli, letting her head come to rest on the other girl's shoulder. Breathing in the comforting scent of Eli's shampoo, she let her own anxieties melt away.

"I know the real you," Nozomi whispered, a warm, genuine kindness in her voice. "You aren't horrible, Eli. You're caring and generous and amazing," Nozomi added, hoping her honest thoughts and feelings would help soothe Eli's pain.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, listening to the calming sound of raindrops pattering against the roof. Nozomi kept Eli in a warm embrace until her tears subsided, needing her to know that she was loved.

"Thank you," Eli finally replied, turning in her chair to face Nozomi. She was the only one who was always there for Eli. A gentle smile played on Nozomi's lips as she pulled away from Eli.

"Any time," she replied happily. And with that, the sun seemed to peek through the clouds, pushing the dreary rain away until another day.


End file.
